Improvement in lubricators



W. A. CLARK.

LUBRIcAToR.

Patented March 6,1877.

w'neses: @Maffe-wi NtFETERS, PHDTOJJI'IIOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

following isa specification:

y man-STATES w-ILnIAM A. CLARECF wEsTvILLE, CONNECTICUT.

'IMPeov'lEMEN-rm LuBRlcAToes.

, Specification forming 'part of Letters Patent No. 187,964, dated March 6, 1877 application tiled Y October 24,1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM A; CLARK,

"Improvements in Lubricators, 'of Vwhich the" My invention relates to that class Cflubricators or oil-cups which are used for supplying oil to the valve-chest and valves of a steamengine; andthe invention consists in certain details of i construction, whereby it'` isA rendered more efci'entin.; its operation, as hereinafter vmore fully described".l f -Figure 1 is a central vertical section, and Fi-g. 2 a sectional view, of a portion enlarged.

To construct my improved apparatus, I pro- 'vide a metallic Cylindrical cup or vessel, A, to on-e side of which isl attached, a glass `gagetube, Gr, which connected by'a passage at both Atopaud bottom with the interior of the cup A, as shown in Fig. 1,wso that'the water V and oil willstand at nlni'formheig'hts in both the cup or reservoirfand the gage-tube, vas

Vrepresented inthe drawing.

Upon the'topof'the upA I secure a cham-v ber or small vessel,"`0, into which the steam is conducted by a pipe, R, and in'which chamber the steam condenses. This chamber is connected' by a tubefV, which is provided with a stop-cock, O, to the top of the reservoir or cup A, as shown, it being connected to the tube V by a coupling, b, so that the condenser C can be turned in any desired direction to bringV the tube R in position to be most conveniently connected with the supply steam-pipe or valve-chest, from either of which the steam maybe' taken, the tube T, which connects' with the reservoir A below, being also connected with the same steam-supply, so that the pressure shall be uniform in all parts of the apparatus.

As shown in Fig. l, a small passage, f, leads from the condenser C down into the top ofthe cup A', and from thence .extends along laterally toward the gage-tube, where it terminates, 'by opening upward into a small chamber, fr, `in which is seated a small and very light checkvalve, a, as shown in Fig. 1, these parts being shown enlarged in Fig. 2. From this chamber r a passage,fv, extends downward into the glass tube G, this passage lv terminating with a small tube, P, which has one side, at its end, cut oi' slanting, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the object ot this tube P being to deliver the drops of condensed water at or against the side of the glass tube Gr, so that they may be readilyseen, the dark color ot' the oil used in .these lubricators often preventing the operator from perceiving the drops of Water when fed into the gage-tube or into the reservoir in the usual manner, and thus preventing him from telling whether the apparatus is working properly or not. By this construction each drop ot' water, as it emerges from the lower end of the small tube P, is delivered near to or against the side oi' the glass, where y it can be readily seen, and its passage down through the oil easily followed by the eye.

It is obvious that this drip-pipe P may be arranged to deliver the water within and against the side of the reservoir A in those cases Where the latter is made ot' glass, as in my former patent, the gage-tube G in that case being dispensed with, the function and operation of the drip-pipe being the same in either case.

A supply cup, D, is secured above the gagetube Gr, with which it is connected by a channel, m, through which the oil is supplied to the reservoir A, there being a sorewplug, E, by which the upper end of the passage m may be closed, as shown in Fig. l.

From the top ot' the reservoir A there pro jects a` small tube, d, the passage in which connects with the oil-passage e, as shown in Fig. 1, this tube d being provided with a screw-cap, l, which has a hole, c, in its side, as shown in Fig. 1, so that when it is desired to admit air for anypu rpose-sueh, forinstance,

as drawing oft' the contents ofthe reservoirit is only necessary to loosen this screw-cap l.

It will be observed that the passage e extends entirely across the top, from the gagetube G on one side to the pipe T on the opposite side, and connecting at the center with the chamber ofthe reservoir A. At the point where the passage e terminates in the pipe T, a trap is formed by slanting the passage e downward, and having it enter a small chamber, t, which has an opening or outlet, h, near its upper side, as shown in Fig. 1, the pipe T being made in sections, as shown, for the purpose of enabling the passages and chamber t to be formed therein with convenience. The trap thus located serves to prevent steam from entering the reservoir through the tube T, which, as before described, is connected by a small pipe with the valve-chest of the engine.

The stop-cock O, which regulates the supply or passage of water from the condensingchamber C to the gage-tube and reservoir, is provided with an arm which rests against a set-screw, by which it can be adjusted with great exactness, thereby regulating the discharge of the oil with equal exactness, as, of course, no oil can escape except as its place is supplied by the inowing water. This feature, however, being fully shown, described, and claimed in my Patent No. 125,022, dated March 26, 1872, need not be further described, reference hereby being made to said patent for a more full and minute description ofthe saine.

A drip or draw-oli' pipe, I, provided with a stop-cock, O, is attached at the bottom of the reservoir A, for the purpose of drawing ofil the water whenever it shall be found necessary.

1n use, the lubricator is to be secured at any convenient point on or near the steam or valve chest, and the pipe T, through which the oil is delivered, is then connected by a tube with the valve-chest in such a manner as to deliver the oil to the valve at any required point, there being, also, another pipe leading from the steam-chest or steam-supply pipe, and con nectin g with the tube R, which leads into the condenser or steam-chamber C, this arrangement or connection being well understood by steam engineers, or those having charge of steam-engines, and therefore not necessary to show.

As a result of this construction, it will be senn that the oil and water passages c and f are entirely distinct, and that, while the Water enters through the passage f, the oil escapes through passage e, and that if, by accident or otherwise, the cock B in the top of the condenser C, or the plug E in the supply-cup D, should be removed, the oil is prevented from being forced up into the condensingchamber by the pressure of the steam entering through pipe '1 by the check-valve a, which would be pressed down overthe moutlr-of the passage f, thereby cutting off all communica-tion with the chamber C. This I Iind by experience to be highly important, for the reason that, if the oil is permitted to enter the condensingchamber, it is apt to adhere to, and more or less obstruct, the passage from the condensingchamber, more especially the passage through the cock O, which, when adjusted, forms a very minute opening. So, too, oil can be supplied at any time without entering the passage f, as the oil passes down through the channel m into the gage-tube G, and from thence through passage e into the reservoir A.

The check-valve a may be dispensed with, and the apparatus made to operate as well in all respects, except that of preventing the oil from being driven up into the cup by the accidental or careless opening of the cock B, or the removal of the plug E, and as these contingencies are liable to occur, I prefer to use the valve.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, in a lubricator, of a sep arate condensing-chamber and a passage, f, for conducting the water direct to the glass tube or reservoir, said passage being so arranged that the water shall enter the reservoir without passing throughthe oil-passages, substantially as set forth.

2. A drip-tube, P, constructed and arranged Y to operate substantially as described, whereby the water from the condenser shall be delivered against, or close to, the side of the glass, in order that it may be seen as it enters the oil or passes through the same.

3. The check-valve c, arranged to close the water-passage f against back pressure, whereby the oil is prevented from entering said passage, or the condensing-chamber, substantially as described.

4. The trap t, arranged `at the end of the oilpassage, as shown and described.

WILLIAM A. CLARK.

Witnesses:

P. T. DODGE, DoNN I. TWITOHELL. 

